


The Mansion of Memories

by PastTheVaultedDoors



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 18:03:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5675416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastTheVaultedDoors/pseuds/PastTheVaultedDoors
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Battle City, Kaiba begins to clear out Gozaburo's momentous from their lives but is having a difficult time of it. Mokuba has his own idea of where the past should go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mansion of Memories

Kaiba stared at the pen for a good three minutes before he felt a strange stab in his gut. Not a moment later he was throwing up in a nearby planter.

The pen belonged to Gozaburo, long since dead, but Seto remembered how he only ever used that pen in his home office. Just a pen; a stupid, insignificant pen, and still the memories stirred inside Kaiba’s whirling mind like a raging typhoon.

Ever since Battle City, Kaiba had been slowly pulling out all of his step father’s things from KC tower, his offices, his mansion, and selling or destroying them. He’d left some items around before as a memorial to the tyrant, and even to strike fear in the mind of those that knew him; and knew how Seto succeeded him. But now, as Kaiba wiped the spit from his mouth, only he was suffering those effects.

It was a cleansing, a turning of a new leaf, to be rid of Gozaburo. Kaiba was a changed man after all that happened. If not thanks to the Dweeb Patrol or that trip into cyberspace, then he would consider it a change for the one he loved most.

Mokuba.

However, having Gozaburo’s personal items cleared was a task that tolled deeper on his revitalized soul than he anticipated. He felt a profound shame and guilt under it all. Despite his intentions, Kaiba knew he could have done better for him and his brother. It was l like his heart was darkened in those years and only now the numbness had faded enough to feel the consequences of his actions.

“Can we just burn it?” a small voice came from behind.

Seto whirled around to spy his pale-faced brother.

“What?” Kaiba asked in a voice that sounded haunted. Then he cleaned his throat and tried again with less vulnerability in his tone. “What do you mean?”

“This house,” he spoke softly, coming forward. Kaiba hadn’t realized when it’d gotten dark, but Gozaburo’s home office had dimmed with the sun and the lights of the hallway made the silhouette of his brother glow like an angel. “We don’t need it anymore.”

“It’s our home, Mokuba,” Kaiba corrected stoically. “We live here.”

“We could live anywhere,” Mokuba kept going. He reached out to ghost his hand over Seto’s that still gripped that stupid pen so hard he hadn’t ever realized his knuckles were white. “This isn’t a home, it’s a trophy.”

Seto didn’t answer. He knew his brother was wise. He’d put up with so much despite how hard Kaiba tried to protect his youth.

“Let’s burn it down,” Mokuba repeated. “So it’ll never have to haunt us again.”

Seto stared at the strong young man before him before giving a curt nod.

Two days later, Mokuba and Seto held hands as they watched the fire department work through the controlled flames. They could have torched it themselves, but that might not guarantee the whole thing would go down in one try. Not to mention the possible bad publicity with plans of KaibaLand recently announced.

Either way, Kaiba felt he could suddenly breathe easier despite the black and billowing smoke.

“Hey Seto?” Mokuba asked quietly, but for some reason his voice rose over the commotion.

Kaiba didn't answer, instead he kept his blue eyes on the hot, orange blaze.

"What are we going to build here in its place?"

Finally, Kaiba looked away from the crumbling remains of the mansion to spy his brother. "Gozaburo was human, despite it all. But his humanity was corrupted. Let's keep the past behind us and use it as a foundation." He looked again at the wreckage.

"I want a park," Mokuba piped up suddenly. "Noa's Park. I think he'd like that."

Kaiba tugged at his little brother's hand and suddenly they were leaning against each other, holding each other as they watched their callous past die so flowers could grow in its place.


End file.
